Sufjan Stevens "Seven Swans" lp reissue.

Sufjan Stevens "Seven Swans has been remastered and re-issued by Sounds Familyre on audiophile grade vinyl! It now also includes a bonus 7 inch with two previously unreleased tracks, "I Went Dancing With My Sister" and "Waste Of What Your Kids Won't Have". More beautiful than ever, Find it, Buy it. Listen to a record. . .

Jesu "Silver" EP

Clocking in at just 28:43 The Silver EP by Jesu (Justin Broadrick) is packed full of metallic bliss. Massive droning and heavy buzzing riffs all while finding a pulsing beauty hidding in its layers. For my taste even with tracks running from 6-8 minutes, I think the ideas presented here could be developed into much longer tracks. Almost like a classical recording with movements etc. I do really love the full lengths. I am getting tired of the EPs Beautiful as they are. As always the art is starkly beautiful and top notch.

Elf Power "In A Cave"

Formerly of Elephant 6, Elf Power has released "In A Cave". I believe this is their ninth record. A delightfuly sprawling and subversivly psychedelic one at that. On the surface it seems all pop and positivity but there is a fuzzy scratching/scraping hiding underneath. I find it quite delightful to find a record that can be both disonant and bouncy. Kind of makes me wanna dance. that is, if i could dance.

Mi And L'au

This is slowcore at pretty close to its finest. A haunting,barren record in its pure and simple beauty. Please give this a listen.

Older

Fire On Fire Handmade Limited Edition 5 Song EP

The Fire On Fire Handmade Limited Edition 5 Song EP exclusively from young god records is a densely beautiful recording featuring "real" acoustic intruments like the Nay or the Oud. This may be no big stretch for some but, Fire on Fire is Cerberus Shoal. (The band, not the geological feature) And that fact alone makes this record unexpectedly special. Old timey gospel folk at perhaps its most in your face, psychedelic and layered. I aquire more appreciation with each listen. I am also a packaging nut. This one features a original drawing / screen print by Colleen Kinsella (also in the band). Check out Hangman.

Steve Scott

First, I must apologize for the past several months of virtual inactivity. I guess I have been distracted. I have however been completely immersing myself in the catalog (or at least as much as I can get my hands on) of one of my favorite artists... The brilliant and multi talented Steve Scott-poet, spoken word artist, and musician. There is a beauty here beyond my understanding.

The list as it were is as follows

Love in the Western World, 1983

Lost Horizon, 1989

The Butterfly Effect, 1992

Empty Orchestra, 1994

We Dreamed that We Were Strangers, 1996

More than a Dream, 1997

Crossing the Boundaries, 1998

2007 top ten

Avett Brothers “Emotionalism”

Soulsavers “Its Not How Far You Fall It’s The Way You Land”

Angels of Light “We Are Him”

Jon Jackson “Green Apples”

Burial “Untrue”

The Besnard Lakes “Are the Dark Horse”

Bonnie Prince Billy “Ask Forgiveness”

Black Moth Super Rainbow “Dandelion Gum”

Jesu “Conqueror”

Alex Delivery “Star Destroyer”

Dax Riggs "We sing of only blood and love"

Dax Riggs has many faces including Dry Pussy, Corruption, Golgotha, Daisyhead & The Mooncrickets and Agents of Oblivion. He is probably most noted for Deadboy and the Elephantmen or Acid Bath. This is a wonderful rock record. Dark and spooky. My biggest complaint would be that not one song reaches three minutes. Too short Dax, The same with deadboy, give us a little more.

"Once"

Let me preface by saying I have never been one with an appreciation for soundtracks.
The few exceptions are typicaly classicaly oriented. That said, run out and buy "Once".
This soundtrack is filled with an aching beauty that elevates these songs beyond "soundtrack".
I think Glen sounds a little like Cat Stevens on the opening "Falling Slowly" with Marketa Irglová singing along clean and sparse. "If you want me" is a haunting call for love. I could do with out "Broken hearted hoover fixer sucker guy", for me it is the one low point on the record. Marketa's"The Hill" is absolutely heartbreaking.
Also worthy of being searched out is "The Swell Season" by Irglová and Hansard from 2006. They just sound so good together.

Ingrid Michaelson "Girls and Boys"

Ingrid Michaelsons "Girls and Boys" kind of puts me in a weird place. It is a lovely and brilliant recording. I just hope it can get past its "Greys anatomy and target commercial" box. I honestly did not expect this record to be this good. I absolutely love it. And I am left searching for "Slows the Rain".

Bat for Lashes "Fur and Gold" is a lushly beautiful and quirky recording. I think the best description I have heared so far is dido/joanna newsome/kate bush/bjork had Devendras illegitimate lovechild. Freak folk? no, I think not. Mystical? oh yeah. I love its simple/sparse arrangements. It is rhythmic and seductive filled with handclaps and shakers etc. The British ladies continue to invade (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen) while managing not to get in each others way stylisticly.

DEVENDRA BANHART "SMOKEY ROLLS DOWN THUNDER CANYON"

Devendras new album "SMOKEY" is singularly beautiful. A delicate music that is at times quirky, yet somehow manages to remain tender and accessible "I Remember". At times I cant tell if certain songs and their seaming genre shifting are homage or Mr. Banhart poking the past with a sharp stick (the Elvis-ey Shabop Shalom) but I do truly enjoy this record although perhaps not quite as much as the Young God Records era Banhart and its apex "Rejoicing in the Hands" This is a solid step forward for a brilliant young (he is 23) songwriter.

I do think it would be nice to hear some traditional bossa nova from the young man.

Music News

Probably the most exciting thing in this areas music scene (for me at least) is the change of ownership of the local "Big Easy" club. It would appear that it has been sold by Bravo Entertainment and Purchased by Knitting Factory Entertainment.
Those of you familiar with my obsession with the New York jazz scene (every thing from John Zorn and Naked City to Cassandra Wilson or Steve Coleman) may or may not recall my desire to go to the Knitting Factory. I have never quite mad it but now it appears one will be coming to me.
Hopefully the first thing to go will be the flaming guitar and the seemingly endless stream of Rap and Metal. Please don't misunderstand I do enjoy both rap and metal but many other things as well. Things have been looking up lately. A name change? Soon? In the past few months or so we have been graced by Buckwheat Zydeco, Pato Banton, The Avett Brothers, Gary Jules, Bright Eyes, Built to Spill, Satllite Party (Perry Ferrell's new thing) as well as Megadeth and E-40. The future looks bright with "symphony on the edge"(yes as in classical music), Brandi Carlisle, A Fine Frenzy, Matt Nathanson and two Modest mouse shows.
The other good news is the promise that they will no longer put a curfew on a concert and push you out the door just so they can have the saturday night "dance party". In reality I am suprised Built to Spill came back since last time they were told to get of the stage.

So regardless, the future looks bright. Hopefully we can handle a full fledge "Knitting Factory" That is the name I am rooting for...

http://www.knittingfactory.com/

The Broken Family Band "Hello Love" (IMPORT)

Wow, The Broken Family Band. Jangly Americana, Country, Metal, Folk, I don't really know since this band keeps shifting their style around. I do know that they are from Cambridge and that this is a gorgeous recording. It think they are finaly settling in and it feels less affected. Perhaps I like it because I feel a little more hope in it. Hope is what I have/need right now. Try You Get Me on for size.